As global threats rise and battlefields grow more complex, countries must not gamble on their defense strategy. For the last century, most military investment has gone to platforms such as ships, tanks and aircraft. These systems remain essential, yet they carry vulnerabilities, and none of them replace the need for a soldier who can understand and act in real time. Today, our greatest vulnerability is not the lack of advanced systems. It is the widening gap between what technology can see and what our soldiers can effectively adopt under fire. If we want to maintain strategic advantage and protect our forces, we must put the soldier back at the center of modern warfare.

Moreover, recent conflicts, from Ukraine to Israel’s multiple fronts, highlight a truth that should guide military planning for the next decade. Airpower and cyber tactics can disrupt, degrade and delay an adversary, but they cannot defeat an enemy or change political reality. Only ground maneuver forces can seize, hold and influence the battlespace, “sticking the flag” as it has been done throughout the ages. This principle has not changed since the beginning of organized warfare, but the urgency around it has. In an era defined by precision fires, drones, cyber disruptions and constant surveillance, ground forces must evolve faster than ever to match the threats. 

Modern military operations aren’t just about having large numbers of troops or vehicles. Success today depends on integrating infantry, armored units, artillery, air support and real-time intelligence into a single operational........

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